Container closure



Aug. 27, 1940. A. E. CULLEN Y CONTAINER CLOSURE Filed Oct. 22, 1938 INVENTOR. aZZ/z,

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES CONTAINER CLOSURE Arthur E. Cullen, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to R. C. Can Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application October 22, 1938, Serial No. 236,578

6 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of containers, and more particularly to a top closure therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and. efficient top closure for containers having an enlarged opening and provided with a slidably mounted closure member for covering and uncovering the opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide the closure with novel means for guiding the movement of the slidable member mounted thereon and acting to force the slidable member to bear frictionally against the upper surface of the closure member having the opening therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to utilize the outer end edge of the slidable member as a spoon leveling edge when the opening in the closure is uncovered sufliciently to permit a spoon to be inserted into the container therethrough for the removal of container contents thereon.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be apparent hereinafter, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and finally pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a container closure embodying the features of the invention, the slide member thereon being shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, the slide member thereon being shown in open position exposing an opening in the closure.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the closure member showing the large opening formed at one end thereof.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the slide member.

Fig. 5 is a forward end elevation of the slide member.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the container closure taken on line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged vertical sectional. view of the container closure taken on line 'l--l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional View of the container closure taken on line 88 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view, in vertical sectional elevation, of one side of the container clo sure.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the drawing, discloses the upper end of a well known type of oblong can for spices, bicarbonate of soda, condiments, dry whole or powdered materials or substances. The can, or container is shown as comprising a cardboard, paper or similar body A, the lower end of which is not shown, but which is provided with the usual metal bottom closure, and also provided with a top metal closure designated, generally as B.

The top closure comprises two members designated l and 2. The member I, inwardly of the outstanding flange I, as shown in Fig. 3, is depressed or countersunk to form the endless vertical wall 3 and the horizontal body, or panel 4. The juncture of the wall 3 and panel 4 is suitably curved, as at 5, so as not to provide a sharp corner. The horizontal body, or panel 4 constitutes a friction seat for the top closure part 2 and is provided with an enlarged opening 6 at one end thereof. The outer end edge of the opening is curved, as at 6, to correspond to the shape of the back of a spoon. The other three edges of the opening are straight.

The closure member I is secured to the upper end of the container body A by means of the closure flange I which is suitably crimped into engagement with the upper edge portion of the can body A.

Opposed sides of .the vertical wall 3 are provided with elongated inwardly projecting protuberances forming shoulders I each having a horizontal lower surface 8 to provide a friction seat for opposed edges of the top closure part 2 to be guided by and to ride against, and for effectively causing sealing of the opening 6 when closure part 2, which is slidably mounted on the body, or panel 4, is in the position of closing or covering the opening 6.

The slidable closure part 2, preferably although not necessarily, has its opposed edge portions thereof curved, as at 9, to correspond to the curvature of the curved corners 5 at the juncture of the wall 3 and the horizontal body, or panel 4, so that the end faces [0 thereof will slidably engage the shoulder surfaces 8. The spaces, or ways ll formed between the elongated lower horizontal surfaces 8 of the shoulders I serve to receive the curved edge portions 9 of the slide member 2 as the elongated shoulders 1 project laterally from the wall 3 in spaced relation to the body or panel 4 so that the upper plane of the body, or panel 4 and the lower horizontal friction surface 8 will lie in parallel engaged relation.

The body 4 of the closure part I is provided with one or more suitably disposed reinforcing ribs l" adjacent the opening 6 to reinforce the edge of the opening 6. The slidable member 2 is provided with one or more suitable reinforcing ribs 2' disposed transversely of the slide member to stiffen the same and assure proper facial conpact of the slide member with the body or panel 4.

In order to facilitate sliding movement of the slide member 2, I provide the same with a suitably shaped finger grip l2 which is formed by depressingthe slide material upwardly, and in order to prevent extreme sliding movement of the slide member when uncovering the opening 6, I provide the body, or panel 4of the closure member l, with one or more suitable stops I3.

formed by depressing the body or panel material 4 upwardly. These stops are preferably solocated as to prevent the slide member from fully uncovering the opening 6, this permitting the edge M of the slide member 2 to serve as a scraper when leveling off the contents of a spoon when removing it from within the container through the opening 6. However, if desired, the stops can be eliminated by making the slide member longer, and, in this instance, the wall 3 at one end of the closure member I will serve as a stop, and, also in this instance, the forward edge of the slide 2 can be made to register with the rear edge of the opening so that both the straight opening edge and the forward edge of the slide member can serve together as a spoon leveling edge, or the forward edge of the slide member moved to uncover the straight edge of the opening 6 to serve alone as the spoon leveling edge.

The corners at the forward end of the slide member 2 are rounded, as at l5, so as to engage therounded corners E6 of the closure member I, which corners'serve as stops for the slide mem: ber 2 in the forward movement thereof and after the opening 6 has been fully covered or closed by the slide member 2.

It is believed that the invention and its attendant advantages will be clearly understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts of the top closure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its material -advantages, the form of top closure hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment of the invention.

What I claim is: i

1. In combination, a top closure member having a sunken body portion to provide an endless vertical wall, opposed ribs formed on the wall each having a horizontal friction surface spaced from the upper surface of the body portion to provide elongated horizontal ways, a slide member on said body portion, opposed side edge portions of the slide member being upwardly curved and slidable in the ways with the end faces of the side edge portions in sliding contact with said horizontal friction surfaces, a finger grip formed on the slide member, and stops formed on the sunken body portion.

2. In a top closure for container bodies, a closure member having a sunken body portion hav ing an enlarged opening near one end thereof, an endless wall projecting upwardly from the edges of the body portion and terminating in an outstanding flange adapted to be crimped to the top end of the container body, opposed shoulders formed on the wall by deforming the wall, the shoulders having a lower elongated horizon tal friction surface, a slide member mounted on the body portion to cover and partly uncover the enlarged opening therethrough, the side edge portions of the slide member being curved upwardly and slidably engaging the friction surfaces, means for limiting closing movement of the slide member, and means limiting opening movement of the slide member.

3. A top closure for container bodies having in combination, a closure member provided with a sunken head portion having an enlarged opening at one end thereof, a vertical endless wall bordering the head portion, opposed inwardly projecting shoulders formed on the wall each having an elongated horizontal friction surface stops formed on the head portion, a slide member mounted on the head portion, the slide member having upwardly curved side edge portions for sliding contact with the friction surfaces, and a finger grip formed on the slide member.

4. A top closure for container bodies having, in combination, a closure member provided with a sunken body portion having an enlarged opening at one end thereof, a vertical endless wall which is curved at its juncture with the sunken body portion, the corners of the wall being curved, opposed inwardly projecting shoulders formed on the wall having lower horizontal friction surfaces spaced from the upper surface of the sunken body portion to provide elongated Ways, a slide member mounted on the sunken body portion having its forward corners rounded olf, the side edge portions of the slide member being curved to correspond with the juncture of the wall with the sunken body portion and receivable in the ways and in sliding contact with the friction surfaces, means on the sunken head portion limiting sliding movement of the slide member in one direction, and the curved corners of the wall at one end thereof limiting sliding movement of the a slide member in the opposite direction.

5. In a top closure for container bodies, a closure member having a sunken body portion provided with an enlarged opening at one end there- ,of, a slide member mounted on the sunken body portion, opposed shoulders formed on the closure member having elongated friction surfaces for contact with the major portion of the side edge portions of the slide member for properly seating the slide member when fully covering said opening, stops formed on the sunken body portion for limiting sliding movement thereof when uncovering the opening, the forward edge of the slide member serving as means for leveling off the contents of a spoon being removed from the container body, and opposed corners of the 010- sure member serving as stops for the forward corners of the slide member to limit forward sliding movement of the slide member when covering the opening by means of the slide member.

6. In combination, a contaner, a top closure thereon, said closure having a rectangular wall with curved corners and a large opening near one end of the closure member, the outer'end edge of the opening being curved, a slide member for opening and closing the opening and there being opposed friction surfaces formed on the wall to contact the side edges of the slide member whereby the slide member is unobstructibly held for sliding movement to open and close said opening and when the slide has been moved to partly uncover the opening the forward edge thereof serving as leveling means for the contents of a spoon being removed from the container through said opening.

' ARTHUR E. CULLEN. 

